Fall 2018 The Upper Room is the place the Apostles spent time during the passion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. The Last supper and washing of the disciples feet took place in the Upper Room the night before Jesus death. The disciples used the space as a home base during the 50 days following Easter. While in the Upper Room, they spent time discussing what they just experienced, they prayed together and finally they were given the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were then sent out unafraid to serve God and spread the Good News. With these Scriptures in mind, we were inspired to create a weekly event called Upper Room. Each Monday night and Tuesday morning all are invited to join us as we dive deeper into what Jesus taught us, make time for prayer, have discussion and learn how to go out into the world to be disciples of Christ. There are two different types of programs as a part of Upper Room. One will be the Catholic basics and the other will go deeper into Catholic topics. To learn more go to page 9. 1
Mass Times Saturdays at 4pm - Sundays at 8am & 10:30am SACRAMENTS Vietnamese Mass Times Sunday September 2, 16, 30, October 7, November 4 & 18 at 2pm Weekday Mass Times Tuesdays at 8am Wednesdays at 8:35am (8am when there is no school) Thursdays at 8am Fridays at 8am All Saints Day Masses Wednesday, October 31 at 5:30pm Thursday, November 1 at 8:35am & 5:30pm All Soul s Day Mass & Reception Friday, November 2 at 6:30pm Rite of Reception Join us on Sunday, November 25 to celebrate the Rite of Reception for those Christians becoming Catholic or Catholics celebrating Confirmation. Mass time is TBD. Reconciliation 2:45pm to 3:45pm every Saturday or by appointment. First Reconciliation Sunday, November 18, 2018 First Eucharist Saturday, April 27, 2019 Second Grade Sacramental preparation is being completed through St. Matthew School and through Family Formation. If you have questions about the sacraments, please contact Julie Testin at 362-9967 or jtestin@stmatthewcr.org Confirmation Thursday, February 28, 2019 Confirmation preparation is for all 10th grade students and is held on Sunday mornings. If you have questions about Confirmation, please contact Emily Gignac at egignac@stmatthewcr.org Eucharistic Adoration Every Thursday from 8:30am until Friday at 7:45am in the Chapel. We are in need of some more volunteers to take an hour to prayer each week. Call the Parish Office to help. 2
FAITH IN ACTION 2nd on the 2nd Each month on the second Sunday, we do a second collection which allows our parish to support worthy organizations in the Cedar Rapids area & worldwide. September - Xavier Parish Appeal October - Parish Sanctity of Life/Knights of Columbus for Birthright November - Catholic Charities Donate Food to Metro Catholic Outreach Don t forget to bring food items to the Church for MCO. Check the bulletin each week for the items that are most in need at MCO. Green Square Meals Join us the 3rd Friday and 5th Friday to serve dinner at Green Square Meals. Only 7 people can volunteer each time. Contact the Parish Office to get signed up to help. Donate Box Tops & Hy-Vee Receipts Support the School by dropping off your box tops and Hy-Vee receipts by the elevator in the Church, or in the entrances of the School & ECC. Keep St. Matt s Beautiful Join us the fourth Wednesday of every month at 6:30pm to clean up the parish grounds. Bring gloves. Call Bob Wallraff at 899-2971 if you have any questions. Prayer Shawl Ministry Do you like to knit or crochet? Join us to make shawls for those in need of prayers as well as for baptisms. Meetings are optional. We meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 2:00 PM in the Rosary Room. Yarn is provided. If you are interested in joining the Prayer Shawl Ministry group, contact Betty Mallie at bmallie@imonmail.com Pastoral Care Team We are all called to care for our neighbors. Members of the Pastoral Care Team visit parishioners in the hospitals, care centers and in their homes on behalf of our parish community and Father Steve. We listen, pray and are committed to be instruments of God s Mercy & Love to all we visit. To become a part of the Pastoral Care Team or have a member visit you, contact Kate at ktyler@stmatthewcr.org or 363-5238 3
Welcome to our new Principal I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself; my name is Amy Conlon and I am super excited to be the new St. Matthew Elementary School principal. I am truly honored to have been selected to continue working with the Xavier Catholic School System, which is known for the quality education and faith component provided to its students. My goal is to ensure that St. Matthew Elementary is an environment where all students are healthy, happy, safe and challenged academically. From a personal perspective, I am the mother of three beautiful children: Braylen (6th grader), Kellen (1st grader) and Meyer (3 year old preschool) and wife to Eric. I am thankful to have the opportunity to bring all that I have experienced and learned with me and I look forward to the partnership between the school and church as a way to continually foster and develop faith formation in our youth. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, my door is always open. I can be reached by email at aconlon@stmatthewcr.org or at 319-362- 3021. We would also like to welcome our new teachers: Ms. Carney, Ms. Chute, Ms. Wareham & Mrs. Williams. Introducing the St. Matthew Messenger, a weekly email containing announcements and useful links for all members, family and friends of the St. Matthew community! There are 2 easy ways to subscribe (pick one): Visit our church at: flocknote.com/stmatthewcr -- OR -- Text StMatthewCR to 84576 from your phone Text STOP to 84576 to stop text notifications at any time. Text HELP for help. There is no charge for this service, but your carrier message and data rates may apply. View privacy policy & conditions at www.flocknote.com/txt. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ~ John 1:3-5 4
SEPTEMBER CALENDAR 2 - Vietnamese Mass at 2pm 3 - Happy Labor Day Offices Closed 4 - Liturgy Committee at 7pm 5 - School Mass at 8:35am 7 - Pastoral Care Team at 2pm - Social Justice Committee at 3:30pm 9 - Family Formation at 8:30am - Holy Name Prayer for Peace & Breakfast at 9am - Sunday Afternoon at the Movies at 2pm - Theology of the Body Women s Book Study at 7pm 10 - Upper Room at 6pm & 7pm 11 - Upper Room at 9am - Faith Formation Commission at 7pm 12 - Grandparent s Day - School Mass at 8:35am - Senior Pot Luck at 12pm - Prayer Shawl Ministry at 2pm 15 - Plant Sale at Masses 16 - Sanctity of Life Meeting at 9am - Confirmation Class at 9:15am - Vietnamese Mass at 2pm - Theology of the Body Women s Book Study at 7pm 17 - Upper Room at 6pm & 7pm 18 - Upper Room at 9am 19 - School Mass at 8:35am 20 - School Board Meeting at 7pm 23 - Theology of the Body Women s Book Study at 7pm 24 - Upper Room at 6 & 7pm 25 - Upper Room at 9am - Pastoral Council at 6:30pm 26 - School Mass at 8:35am - Chancel Choir at 6pm 29 - St. Matt s Mingle at 5pm 30 - Confirmation Class at 9:15am - Vietnamese Mass at 2pm - Theology of the Body Women s Book Study at 7pm 5
OCTOBER CALENDAR 1 - Upper Room at 6pm & 7pm 2 - Upper Room at 9am - Liturgy Committee at 7pm 3- School Mass at 8:35am - Chancel Choir at 6pm 4 - Parish Life Committee at 7pm 5 - Pastoral Care Team at 2pm - Social Justice Committee at 3:30pm 7 - Family Formation at 8:30am - Vietnamese Mass at 2pm - Theology of the Body Women s Book Study at 7pm 8 - Upper Room at 6pm & 7pm 9 - Upper Room at 9am - Faith Formation Commission at 7pm 10 - School Mass at 8:35am - Senior Pot Luck at 12pm - Prayer Shawl Ministry at 2pm - Chancel Choir at 6pm 14 - Holy Name Prayer for Peace & Breakfast at 9am - Confirmation Retreat at 10:30am - Sunday Afternoon at the Movies at 2pm - Theology of the Body Women s Book Study at 7pm 15 - Upper Room at 6pm & 7pm 16 - Upper Room at 9am 17 - School Mass at 8:35am 18 - School Board Meeting at 7pm 21 - Sanctity of Life at 9am - 7pm Theology of the Body Women s Book Study at 7pm 22 - Upper Room at 6 & 7pm 23 - Upper Room at 9am - Pastoral Council at 6:30pm 24 - School Mass at 8:35am 28 - Confirmation Class at 9:15am - Theology of the Body Women s Book Study at 7pm 29 - Upper Room at 6pm & 7pm 30 - Upper Room at 9am 31 - All Saints Vigil Mass at 5:30pm 6
NOVEMBER CALENDAR 1 - All Saints Day Mass at 8:35am & 5:30pm 2 - All Souls Day Mass & Reception at 6:30pm - Pastoral Care Team Meeting at 2pm - Social Justice Committee at 3:30pm 4 - Family Formation at 8:30am - Vietnamese Mass at 2pm 5 - Upper Room at 6pm & 7pm 6 - Upper Room at 9am 7 - School Mass at 8:35am 10 - International Dinner at 5pm 11 - Holy Name Prayer for Peace & Breakfast at 9am - Confirmation Class at 9:15am - Sunday Afternoon at the Movies at 2pm 12 - Upper Room at 6pm & 7pm 13 - Upper Room at 9am - Faith Formation Commission at 7pm 14 - School Mass at 8:35am - Senior Pot Luck at 12pm - Prayer Shawl Ministry 2pm - Worship Wednesday at 7pm 15 - School Board Meeting at 7pm 18 - Sanctity of Life at 9am - Vietnamese Mass at 2pm 19 - Upper Room at 6pm & 7pm 20 - Upper Room at 9am 22 - Happy Thanksgiving Offices Closed - Thanksgiving Mass at - Vietnamese Mass at 2pm 23 - No Mass Offices Closed 25 - Rite of Reception time TBD - Confirmation Class at 9:15am 26 - Upper Room at 6pm 27 - Pastoral Council at 6:30pm 28 - School Mass at 8:35am 30 - Nativity Scene Display set up for the weekend 7
STUDY Saturday Morning Bible Study Join us Saturday mornings at 9am in the Rosary Room to discuss the Scripture Readings for that weekend s Masses, including the Scripture s history and how it relates to your daily life. Theology of the Body Women s Book Study All women are invited to join us to read and discuss the Theology of the Body for Beginners on Sundays this Fall at 7pm from September 9 to October 28. Books are $3 each. Contact Kate to sign up at ktyler@stmatthewcr.org Christ wants us to experience that fullness of eros, which implies the upward impulse of the human spirit toward what is true, good and beautiful, so that what is erotic also becomes true, good and beautiful. - St. John Paul II Tuesday Morning Bible Study Join us on Tuesday mornings following 8am daily mass in the Rosary Room to dive into our Catholic faith. This Fall our focus will be on the Mass & the Eucharist with materials from Word on Fire & Bishop Robert Barron. Matthew : The King and His Kingdom This exciting study brings the Gospel to life, as we study Jesus as the awaited Messiah who fulfills the prophecies of the Old Testament. This study will start the first week of September, and is offered on Sunday or Wednesday evenings, from 6:30-8:15PM in the Faith Formation Room. Signup by the end of August to verify your spot! See flyers in the back of Church, or contact Steve Bauer at 319-378-0860. Christ Our Life Christ Our Life is a regional Catholic conference for Adults, held in Des Moines on Saturday, September 29 th and Sunday, September 30 th. This year there will be key note and breakout session speakers including Bishop Robert Baron, Thomas Cardinal Collins, Matt Fradd, Steve Ray, Steve Angrisano, and Renee Bondi. Purchase your ticket today! Visit christourlifeiowa.com for more information! Family Formation Family Formation starts in September for all public, private, and home school families with kids in grades K-5. We have 25 families signed up for this new ministry. Please keep them in your prayers this year! Family Formation replaces the Wednesday Faith Formation Classes. 8
Upper Room As stated on the Front Cover, Upper Room is our new Adult Faith Formation Process which is open to all. This is a great way to build community, develop a personal relationship with Christ, grow in knowledge of our Catholic faith and learn how to live it out daily. Join us on Monday Night at: 6pm in the Rosary Room for a Bible Study on the Mass. 7pm in the Faith Formation Room will be going through the Basics of the Catholic Faith. This is open to all people but especially those who desire to join the Catholic Church or receive their Confirmation. The topics will include: Mary, the 7 Sacraments, different ways to pray, the Saints and so much more. We will begin meeting on Monday September 10 at 7pm Or join us on Tuesday Morning at: 9am in the Faith Formation for the Basics of the Catholic faith. 9am in the Rosary Room for a Bible Study on the Mass and the Eucharist. This is the same as the Tuesday Morning Bible Study. Contact Kate Tyler at ktyler@stmatthewcr.org or 363-5238 if you would like to sign up or have any questions. Coming this December we will have the first ever Parish Advent Retreat! Be on the lookout for more information. ViaFidei ViaFidei is a movement among young adults in the Cedar Rapids area, dedicated to spreading zeal for the Catholic faith and passion for a life of devotion. Via Fidei means The Way of Faith in Latin. If you are looking for a community of Catholic young adults, we are here! There are many opportunities to get involved with the community, including weekly Saturday night young adult group, monthly overnight Adoration, sports nights and volleyball leagues, service opportunities, and more. Visit our website for more information and to get connected with our community. Viafidei.com Theology on Tap Theology on Tap takes place every other month in the Cedar Rapids area. It is an evening held at a bar or park for young adults to listen to a speaker and share a beer or two! TOT will be held in October, December, February, April, and June of this year! Find us on Facebook or check viafidei.com for upcoming event information! 9
Youth Ministry More information and registration for all events can be found on our website under the Grow In Faith tab. Wednesday Night Youth Ministry Youth in grades 6-12 are invited to sign up for Wednesday night youth ministry! We gather in Kearn Hall and the youth rooms from 6:30-8:00PM from September May. We have 3 small groups this year: Middle School, 9th Grade, and 10th-12th Grade. Each group will focus on community, faith, and outreach in a lot of different fun activities! Public, private, and home school youth of all ability levels are invited to attend. Worship Wednesdays The second Wednesday of each month is Worship Wednesday for middle and high school youth! We will gather at different parishes each month for Eucharistic Adoration and praise & worship. This will replace parish youth ministry once a month, and we ll gather as a city-wide community of youth to praise the Lord! TEC Teens Encounter Christ TEC is a 3 day retreat for juniors and seniors in high school. This retreat is an amazing opportunity to encounter Jesus, meet new friends, grow in old relationships, and take some time away from your busy life. This year, TEC will be November 17-19 at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca. TEC is for public, private, or home schooled youth. We encourage ALL parish juniors and seniors to attend! Youth Jam Youth Jam is the Archdiocese of Dubuque s gathering for those in grades 6-8 and their parents. It is a high-energy event designed to get youth pumped up about their faith! Over 200 young people from all over gather to celebrate their faith. Youth Jam is October 20, 2018 in Waterloo. NCYC National Catholic Youth Conference NCYC is held every two years and is the largest gathering of Catholic youth in the United States! Signup is starting soon for NCYC 2019, so start thinking now about joining us for a weekend of faith and excitement! We encourage ALL parish youth to attend! NCYC will be November 21-24, 2019. 10
Catholic Evangelization Outreach (CEO) Personal witness talks given by local Catholics each month. Each Parish takes turns hosting this monthly opportunity to revitalize your faith life. Make sure to check out their website for more details. www.crceo.info Save the Date - Mardi Gras 2019 Saturday, March 2, 2019 6pm at Elmcrest Country Club COMMUNITY St. Matthew Mingle Join us Saturday, September 29 after 4pm Mass for our quarterly social gathering. Bring a snack to share and your own beverage. Must be 21 to attend. Child Care is provided upon request. Senior Pot Luck All those 55 and older are invited to join us the 2nd Wednesday of every month at noon for lunch and a presentation in Kearn Hall. Bring a dish to share. ~ Upcoming Dates: September 12, October 10 & November 14 ~ Sunday Afternoon at the Movies Now in its ninth year, this monthly program continues to provide an opportunity to view quality films that reflect a Catholic vision of life and the human condition. All movies are shown at 2pm in the Rosary Room. Watch movies on a 9-foot screen & with amplified sound! Free admission & refreshments! Everyone is welcome! September 9: Witness for the Prosecution 116 minutes October 14: Romero 105 minutes November 11: Monsieur Vincent 114 minutes Annual St. Matthew Mum & Fall Décor Sale September 15 & 16 after all Masses. Buy your fall décor here with all proceeds benefiting Parish Life. There is quality merchandise and beautiful colors. Mums will be in the upper parking lot at 3pm on September 15 for your selection. Selections can be held for pick up after all Masses. Join the Mardi Gras Planning Committee! Bring your ideas and help us plan Mardi Gras 2019 on Monday, September 10, 2018 at 6pm at the home of Laura Lipinski. More details will be provided in the bulletin. Please feel free to reach out to the 2019 Mardi Gras co-chairs: Laura Lipinski and Lauren Shovein at mardigras@stmatthewcr.org 11
Weekly Calendar Repeats Tuesdays - Mass at 8am - Tuesday Morning Group Study at 8:45am - St. Vincent de Paul Meeting (every other week) at 4:30pm Wednesdays - School Mass at 8:35am (unless there is no school) - Youth Ministry at 6:30 pm Check website for more details. Thursdays - Mass at 8am - Eucharistic Adoration starting at 8:30am & goes all day Fridays - Benediction at 7:50am - Mass at 8am - Sanctity of Life Holy Hour at 3pm Saturdays - Men of Action at 7am - Saturday Morning Bible Study at 9am - Rosary at Planned Parenthood at 11am - Reconciliation at 2:45pm - Mass at 4pm Sundays - Mass at 8am - Mass at 10:30am Check out FORMED.ORG for great Catholic content including movies, ebooks, audio talks and video programs. Use our Parish Access Code C98696 for free access to FORMED.ORG Parish Contact Information & Social Media School Phone Number: 362-3021 ECC Phone Number: 363-9309 Parish Office Number: 363-8269 Faith Formation Office Number: 362-9967 Check out our Parish Website & Social Media for more information: www.stmatthewcr.org Parish Blog: www.stmatthewcr.weebly.com Follow the Parish Facebook Page: @StMatthewCedarRapids Follow the Parish on Pinterest at St. Matthew Catholic Church Follow the Youth and Young Adult Ministry on Instagram @StMatthewYYAL Follow the Parish Twitter @StMattsCatholic And the Youth and Young Adult Ministry Twitter @StMatthewYYAL 12